Hildegarde Naughton (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the significant number of jobs that were announced in recent days. Zimmer, a medical device company based in Shannon, has chosen to expand its manufacturing facility, and has chosen Oranmore, County Galway, where it will create 250 new jobs. Galway is well known as being a hub for the medical device sector. The fact that a company has chosen a location such as Oranmore shows the impact of the Action Plan for Jobs in that the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Richard Bruton, is looking to ensure that job creation is spread to the regions. Oranmore is ideally placed, in close proximity to the M6 motorway to Dublin and 45 minutes from Shannon. Also yesterday, there was the announcement of 150 new jobs nationwide by Acorn Life, which also has operations in Galway.

Finally, I commend the Minister of State, Deputy Joe McHugh, on his announcement yesterday supporting the national Irish language theatre, Taibhdhearc na Gaillimhe. Some €320,000 is being granted to the theatre, which supports jobs in the creative sectors and also the promotion of the Irish language through plays, workshops and exhibitions. This is good news for the arts and for jobs nationally.